Alternate Nostril Breathing, also known as Nadi Shodhana, is a pranayama breathing exercise where you breathe first through one nostril, then the other. It has a calming effect on your body and mind. It can combat insomnia and calm your anxiety. The trick of course, is to sit and do the breathing exercise when you are feeling anxious or can’t sleep. A word here: never use these practices in place of your doctor’s advice.
Before you begin, make sure you are seated comfortably. You can be seated cross legged on your mat or even sitting in a chair. When practicing Alternate Nostril Breathing, use your right hand and place your thumb on your right nostril. Don’t close it off yet. You will use your third and fourth fingers to close off your left nostril when breathing through your right. Start by taking a deep inhalation with both nostrils open. Close your right nostril with your thumb. Exhale through your left nostril slowly and smoothly. At the end of the exhale, inhale (still with your left nostril) slowly and smoothly. Not too slowly, it should be natural for you. When you’ve inhaled fully, close your left nostril with your third and fourth fingers and open your right nostril. Exhale slowly through your right nostril. At the end of the exhale, still with your right nostril, inhale, using your natural breathing rhythm. Do what feels natural for you. When you’ve inhaled, close your right nostril, open your left nostril and exhale.
The steps are:
1. Both nostrils open, inhale.
2. Close right. Exhale with left. Inhale with left.
3. Close left. Open right. Exhale with right. Inhale with right.
4. Repeat from step 2.
Do this for a few minutes. You should be nicely relaxed at the end of this exercise. This is a great preamble to meditation (aka - a sit). It can also be very helpful if you are feeling anxious or can’t sleep.
Find calm inner awareness with this breathing exercise.
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